Loss of Me
by Kadaj
Summary: Girl loves boy. Boy doesn't give anything back. World is destroyed. Girl falls in love again. Boy comes back. Leon/Yuffie/Vincent
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Yes, I'm not dead. I just having been writing that much. :B I've been focusing on my art more lately. Anyway, I know there are plenty of these around, but I just thought I'd try my hand at one. It's one of those stories where Vincent appears in the Kingdom Hearts world and blah blah blah. Oh, and this is ignoring the fact that the Final Fantasy characters in Kingdom Hearts are not the same as the one from the actual Final Fantasy games. This is assuming they are.**

-Love Grows-

"_The power's out."_

"_I can see that, Yuffie."_

"_Well….doesn't that make you want to do something? Like, I dunno, go outside maybe?"_

"_No, not really."_

"_Come on, Vinny! You need some fresh air! Hey, there's this great festival that's gonna start when the sun goes down. We could, you know…go together or something like that."_

"_I'm busy, Yuffie."_

"_I……I'll…um….see you later then."_

Those were the last words he spoke to her the day they were attacked. Vincent's heart still ached when he thought of his cold response to her; he knew that if he could just see her one more time, apologize, that all his pain would simple fade away. However…he did not even know if there would be another time. Wandering world to world, just looking for a simple sign of any of his friends…and yet, there was no one.

Two years. It had been two years and still no sign of any of AVALANCHE. He didn't even know if they had made it out alive. Vincent tensed at this thought, wrapping his hand tighter around the glass he clung to. Chatter surrounded him, loud enough to be deafening to the average human.

But when was Vincent ever average?

This was it. This was the last world he'd look in. He was tired. He'd been across so many…he had even attempted to get back to his, but made the startling discovery that his own world…was lost. The space it once resided in echoed empty against the glass of the gummy ship he'd managed to buy off a drunken pilot, a heartrending silence that made Vincent look away quickly.

"So what brings you to Radiant Garden anyway?" the large, portly bartender asked the dark man out of the blue, leaning over the counter as he wiped it down. Vincent looked up silently, mildly surprised that he had even started a conversation with him; most of the patrons seemed to slink away from his dark appearance. On the other hand, Vincent realized the man probably had seen far weirder customers than himself judging from some of the people in the back, darkest part of the bar.

"…I'm trying to find my…friends," Vincent said in his deep, smooth voice, finding the word foreign to his pale lips. The bartender's eyes took on a sparkle of what looked like a sliver of hope. He set the rag down, grabbing a stool near the shelves and planting himself down on it with a grunt.

"Then you've come to the right place. Radiant Garden seems to be one of the most popular spots for refugees to come to, lately," he said, almost proudly, as he waved off some half-drunken men; they stumbled out the front doors into the cool night, still waving as the doors shut behind them. "A world called Traverse Town used to be the most popular, but that world just kinda….well died off in a 

sense. Most of the residents left it to be here." Vincent listened quietly, his half-empty glass abandoned on the wooden counter. The man paused as a younger man strolled up to him.

"Hey, it's almost closing time. Care if I leave, pops?" The bartender gave him a look of disgust, to which the man took as an immediate 'no' and slunk off dejectedly.

"I'm pretty happy that the heartless rate has dropped down quite a bit. I'm getting a lot more business. But then again….ugh, their numbers will probably just rise again tomorrow. It always fluctuates like this." He was just trying to make small talk now, but it was enough to make Vincent start dwelling on the past again. The heartless….he had killed so many just get here, hoping that this one last place would be his lucky shot. If they had killed them…her…he didn't know what he would do; he almost immediately stopped thinking about it. He didn't wish it to be true.

Vincent slid a hand into his right pocket, grabbing munny from the dark confines of the black material. The bartender gave a sigh as Vincent held his hand out for payment of his drink; he pushed the ex-Turk's hand back.

"It's on me. I know you've been through a tough time; it's the least I can do." Vincent paused for a split second as the portly man smiled at him. He gave him a curt nod and stood from the stool. He knew there was no arguing with him; simply from his eyes he could tell he was a stubborn man who wouldn't take no for an answer.

"Thank you." As he exited the bar, with the friendly bartender waving goodbye to him, his thoughts raced. Thoughts of doubt….thoughts of pain….

The night hair was brisk on his pale face; he tucked his chin into the confines of his red cloak and continued on, eyes scanning instinctively around him. He was conflicted. He wanted to find them; he wanted to find someone, anything from his world. And yet he was terrified of looking anymore. He was terrified deep down inside as that taunting voice keep piercing his thoughts:

_You know why you can't find them, Vincent? It's because they're all dead._

_Even her._


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Soooo...just a three year hiatus, right? NO BIGGIE, RIGHT.**

Chapter 2

Yuffie was tired of waiting. Yeah, she was two hours earlier, but dammit, Leon should be more prompt sometimes! Growling, she tapped her feet impatiently, before she finally threw her hands up and let out a scream. The annual garden festival was tonight, and they needed to finish decorating! Around her were unfinished booths and streamers, lanterns that had not been folded, and petals that had not been thrown everywhere. It was not right!

"Being the responsible guy he is, you would THINK he'd be early," she muttered, kicking a nearby stone that had dare lay in her path. Something about this festival had her antsy, she wasn't really sure what it was though. Whatever it was, she just wanted this festival to be perfect…it had to be. She shuddered as a cold wind blew through her; she pulled her jacket closer to her body. It was gonna be a cold night tonight, that was for sure.

"Yuffie? Why are you here so early?" His voice caught her off guard. Thank god her back was to him; her face was burning. Rubbing her cheeks, she put on the most annoyed expression she could before she turned and faced him, hands on her hips and a pout on her lips.

"About time! We need to get to work!"

"I thought we weren't meeting till 9?" She pointed accusingly at him.

"One must always be early, Squall!"

"…It's Leon." She ignored the way her heart skipped a beat as he looked at her. It was a silly school girl crush she had. Leon had no interest in her…just as _he _had not either. You'd think she would've learnt the first time. Grinning, she grabbed Leon's hand and starting yanking him towards a booth.

"This is gonna be so much fun!"

"Sure thing, Yuffie."

It was a pretty morning out. Vincent didn't really want to get out of the warm bed he had rented from the inn. Sighing, he stared up at the ceiling. The air felt heavy and cold; it was probably going to be even colder tonight. The innkeeper had mentioned that there was some annual festival going on tonight…perhaps it would be a good place to search for Yuffie. Pain filled his chest as he thought of that night. Shaking his head, he climbed out of bed, shuddering as the cold air touched his bare skin. He walked to the window, pulling away the curtains.

Evidently, the heartless stayed clear of this place…at least most of the time. There was a committee here now that would take care of them in case it got too out of hand. He wished that they had had such a committee back home. Perhaps they could've stood a chance then…

Outside there were children running around and playing, their faces bright and happy. It was a nice sight to see. Her image filled his head; she used to run around and laugh like that. They all did. He wanted to slap himself for being so down, but it was hard not to. He had lost everyone dear to him and had no way to contact them. Vincent glanced over to his cloak on the wall. Perhaps he would wait a while before he went out.

It would be much easier to search at the festival. Everyone would be there, it seemed. He stared down at his claw, eyes slightly narrowing. He'd need to cover that; he wasn't sure how people would respond here to things like that.

_"Who cares what they think, Vinny? You're great the way you are!"_

He smiled at that memory. Last time he had tried to cover the claw Yuffie had just about beat him herself. Since then, he had not covered it again, drawing strength from her words. If only he had given her words to draw strength from…instead of just giving her despair. Inwardly, he wished that he would be able to see her tonight. Seeing the rest of Avalanche would be great…but seeing Yuffie…letting her know that he really did care…that is all he wanted to do. Taking a seat on the nearby chair, he crossed his arms, leaning his head back.

Time for another nap.

"Ow!" Yuffie griped as she yanked her finger back, blood spilling out of the wound she had just inflicted upon herself. Leon immediately walked over, concern flashing through his eyes. Seeing her finger, he sighed, but grabbed her hand anyways. Yuffie was thankful the only light they had at this point was the flickering lanterns around them; he wouldn't see how red her face was.

"Be more careful, Yuffie."

"Yeah well, the festival is starting in ten and these last lanterns need to be strung up!"

"Yes, but your finger doesn't," he said bluntly as he cleaned off her finger with a spare rag. She had nothing creative to say back, so she merely shut up and let him wrap it gently. She didn't like appearing weak in front of Leon. Ruined her image, you know? Pursing her lips, she looked off into the distance.

"I wonder if Tifa and Cloud are done in the front?"

"Hopefully." Leon finished wrapping her finger, giving a slight smile to her; Yuffie turned away, still trying to get rid of her blush from earlier. Dammit Leon, don't grin at me like that, she cursed inwardly. What are you doing Yuffie? What about Vincent?

He made it pretty clear he didn't want to try to spend time with me, she thought despairingly, playing with the perfectly wrapped bandage on her finger. Yeah, but so far, it seems like Leon's turning out the same way…

"Hey! You guys done?" Yuffie glanced up at the sound of Tifa's melodic voice. Now there was a pretty, talented, and strong woman. Yuffie often wondered if Vincent never went for her because she lacked so many…desirable traits. It kept her up for several nights at a time.

Tifa, Cloud, and Cid all came wandering into their little corner, looking as triumphant as ever. Good old Avalanche. Yeah, they were still missing a few…but at least they had found each other. She couldn't have survived alone.

"Yeah, we're pretty much finished. Is it about time to let people in?" Cid nodded, flicking some ash off his cigarette.

"Yah, Yah. Bout five minutes before we start letting people in." Yuffie grinned, hopping up from her spot and running towards Cid. She playfully punched him in the shoulder, earning her a nasty look from the pilot.

"Smile a bit, Cid! This is supposed to be a happy festival!"

"I hate festivals!"

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Cloud suddenly blurted out, his voice as monotone and calm as ever. The five of them erupted into laughter. It felt nice. Almost like the good old days. And yet…something was missing.

"Well, let's go let people in then," Leon stated, setting down a nearby lantern to its proper spot.

She had a good feeling about this night.

Vincent brushed through the crowd, trying not to accidentally touch anyone. He knew he attracted enough attention with his bizarre eyes; he made sure to hide his claw beneath his cloak. Strangely enough, no one paid much attention to him. It was as if…they didn't care about what he looked like. He wasn't used to it. Cautiously, he pulled his claw out, letting it rest outside of his cloak. No one stared; no one gawked.

"No way…vampy!?" From underneath the collar of his cloak, Vincent's lips turned up into a half smile at the sound of rough neck's voice. Before he knew it, Cid had pulled him into a huge bear hug, including a nice fist against his shoulder. He rubbed it.

"Cid…it's good to see you're alive."

"Yeah, same to you, creepy! Man, everyone's gonna flip as soon as they see you!"

"Who made it, Cid?" At this Cid paused, drumming a finger against the side of his cheek thoughtfully.

"Well…we got me, Tifa, Cloud, Aeris—long story bout her, we'll explain later—oh yeah! And Yuffie!" Vincent almost could not contain the happiness that filled his veins; he could do nothing to hide the joy in his eyes, nor the way his face was crinkling from his smile a mile long. Cid noticed anyways, letting out a sneaky grin. Snickering, he nudged Vincent, wiggling an eyebrow; Vincent stared at him in confusion.

"…What?"

"Last I heard she was over there on the west end of the festival. Go get her, vampy!" Vincent didn't even have a choice in the matter, as Cid shoved him forward and towards the direction of the ninja. Regardless, he would've gone anyways…but…that's just how Cid was. He had caught on that there may have been something budding between them, and at certain points, he had even tried to nudge them closer and closer. Vincent had been stupid, though. He had blown her off so many times, thinking that there was no way she would ever be interested in a monster like him. That's why he pushed her away; in this way, she wouldn't get close, and neither of them could get hurt in the end.

She was starting to get tired. The festival had been going on for hours, and people had shown no sign of leaving. She yawned, leaning slightly on her hand in the booth. A poke to the side of her head roused her. She turned to Leon, giving him a slight pout. He laughed, his voice melodic to her ears.

"Come on Yuffie, let's go take a break." She stared at him in confusion. Wait…Leon abandoning his duties? Who replaced him with a doppelganger?! When she didn't budge, he grabbed her hand and pulled her out.

"W-Wait, but who's gonna watch the booth, Squall?" Leon threw a sign over the front of it. Squinting, she read it aloud.

"**Be back later, getting snacks.**What?" She had no chance to say anything as Leon started to pull her away from the booth, laughing as he did so. Seriously…had aliens come and abducted him? What was she complaining about though? The guy of her dreams was holding her hand and taking her on a magical break. Sounds like a good time to her.

Leon bought them two cups of hot cocoa, something she eagerly accepted. It was freezing tonight, and it did well to warm her up. They walked off to a deserted part of the festival, taking a seat on some chairs that had not yet been set up. She said nothing for a minute; Leon decided to break the silence.

"Back at my military school, I used to get hot cocoa every night during the winter." She gave him an odd look, slightly surprised once more.

"You? And sweets? Somehow I doubt that," she snickered, sipping the cocoa and relishing in the marshmallow she had just discovered. Leon turned his lips up into a handsome smile that Yuffie could not look away from; silently, she hoped he wouldn't turn this way and see her.

"No one knew. I didn't talk much back then."

"And you do now?"

"Hah, touché, Yuffie." He suddenly turned back to her, eyes slightly twinkling. She started, quickly turning back to her cocoa with a flush. "What do you miss about your world?" She paused, thoughts swirling in her mind. She missed a lot. But the thing is…the thing she missed most...were those lost friends.

"You lost friends when your world was destroyed, right? That's what I miss the most."

"It's why I call myself Leon." She looked up from her mug back to Leon, who was looking thoughtfully up at the stars. "I failed them. I couldn't save them. I'm not the same person I was before, Yuffie."

"No, you're not. You're better." Leon smiled at her words, taking another swig from his cocoa. It was odd. She felt at peace. She wasn't stumbling or blushing, or just acting like an idiot anymore. Now she was just spending time with Leon…and it was comfortable. Maybe they could even, one day…

"…Yuffie?" She spun on her heel at the sound of that silken voice, dropping her mug to the ground with a shatter. Her heart was thudding so hard against her chest, she was surprised it didn't burst free and explode right there on the spot. Eyes wide, her hands flew to her mouth, her skin breaking into a cold sweat. There was no way…no way…

"Oh my god…Vincent!"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

AN: What are you guys feeling? I'm still not sure what couple I wanna go with in the final result.

Yuffie raised her head as the lights flickered. A few seconds later, they were plunged into darkness. Yuffie let out a yell, almost falling off the bed she was seated off from the dark. Hands fumbling, she grabbed the drawer next to her, yanking out the flashlight within and flicking it on. She shone it towards the dark man sitting in the arm chair nearby, who merely stared at her with a blank face.

"The power's out," she noted dangling her feet off the edge of the bed and swinging them back and forth in boredom. Yuffie had decided that both she and Vincent needed a vacation, so she packed them up and dragged Vincent to Kalm with her. How she had even managed to convince him was beyond her. All she was trying to do at the moment was just try to get him to focus on her without her having a panic attack. The very sight of the man made her heart do twists and flips that she desperately tried to get rid of. Vincent merely raised an eyebrow at her, crossing his arms.

"I can see that, Yuffie." She rolled her eyes, throwing her hands into the air with a groan of frustration. Honestly, the man seemed so ignorant of everything sometimes!

"Well….doesn't that make you want to do something? Like, I dunno, go outside maybe?" She snorted, a usual trait of her lack of ladylikeness. Vincent sighed, grabbing his rifle and a nearby rag off the table nearest him. Meticulously, he started to shine it, eyes focused intently on the metal and not on her. Figured.

"No, not really," Vincent responded robotically, mumbling his words. Yuffie frowned. She wasn't going to give up quite yet. It was their time to be alone, and she was going to take advantage of it, dammit! She got up to her feet, bouncing slightly as her feet hit the ground. She practically skipped over to Vincent, grabbing his cloak and forcing him to look up at her.

"Come on, Vinny! You need some fresh air! Hey, there's this great festival that's gonna start when the sun goes down. We could, you know…go together or something like that," she mumbled that last part quietly, turning away from Vincent to disguise her awkwardness. Vincent merely stared at her, a slight annoyed expression overtaking his eyes. He pulled his cloak from her hands.

"I'm busy, Yuffie." Yuffie could only stare, heart aching as Vincent went back to shining the rifle. She was stupid. A fucking idiot. How could she have ever thought that Vincent would give her a chance? Eyes starting to fill with tears, she backed away from him, heading for the door. As she opened it, she gave him one long last look, inwardly wishing he would just look up and tell her not to go.

"I…I'll…um….see you later then." All she got in reply was a slight grunt.

"Yuffie!" Vincent yelled until his throat started to rasp, burning with every shout he gave. He had to find her. He had to. "Yuffie! Where are you?!" The skies were dark and swirling…the winds ripping at his skin like knives piercing his flesh. All around him shadows churned and hissed; their glowing eyes followed his every motion. Another one pounced towards him; he ended its life with one simple shot from his rifle.

They were weak, but there were many. People all around him were screaming, shouting for their lives. There was nothing he could do for them. The creatures would pounce right on them, and tear out their hearts in one split second. The worst part was after they tore it out, they devoured it. All he cared about was finding Yuffie.

"V-Vincent?" Vincent's heart jumped. Eyes wide, he spun around in all directions, looking desperately for the source of her voice.

"Yuffie!"

"Vincent!" Behind him. He spun around, feeling relief wash over his body as Yuffie stumbled towards him, a huge smile on her face. She was there. She was safe. It was going to be ok…

Before he could even say another word, his body was lifted, and jerked away from her, the darkness spilling into his vision; her terrified face was the last thing he saw of Kalm before it vanished right before his eyes.

It had been a year.

She hadn't seen that face in a year.

And in a year, though she thought they were gone…those feelings remained the same.

"V-Vincent!" was all she managed to spurt out as she ran towards her former partner, her arms reaching towards him. Vincent was no stranger to her random hugs; he held his arms out, openly welcoming her back into his dark red coat, for once. Usually she had to force them open, as he sighed while she sat there and hugged him, rambling for what seemed like hours. Yuffie laughed brightly, feeling as if the sun itself had popped out and shown down right on them in the middle of the night. She could only describe how she felt in one word: overjoyed.

"It's nice to see you again, Yuffie," he mumbled against her ear, his voice the same silky, deep rumbling that she had fallen for when she first met him. But then she remembered…

Gently, she backed away from a confused Vincent, turning back to the man she had forgotten. Leon looked about as awkward as she was earlier. He had long since set down his mug and was staring at the two, confusion with a lick of irritation evident in his eyes. Normally she wouldn't care but…it was Leon. Fact of the matter was, she did care. She cleared her throat.

"Uh…Leon, this is Vincent Valentine. He's from my world. We were in the same group as Cloud and others." To her surprise, Leon looked at him coldly, giving him a curt nod that Vincent gladly returned in turn. That was not what she was expecting. Way to make things awkward already guys…

"Hey Yuffie, our break's over. Let's get back to work," Leon suddenly blurted out in a low voice, moving to stand in front of Yuffie, placing a hand on her shoulder. "If you'll excuse us, we're working tonight. Feel free to catch up later." Before she could even say another word, Leon had grabbed her hand and starting to jerking her a long, each step causing her to stumble. She looked over her shoulder, sending Vincent an apologetic face; he merely stared back, expression unreadable. She growled, feeling her temper spark.

Seriously Leon, what the hell?!

"What's your problem!?" she snapped as soon as they got back to the booth, ripping her hand away from him. "I haven't seen him in a year, Leon! I thought he was dead!" she exclaimed, gesturing wildly as her emotions spun out of control. Leon said nothing, hanging up more of the lanterns that they were trying to sell. This only served to infuriate her even more. She grabbed Leon by the shoulder, twisting him around to face her. He wouldn't even look her in the eye. Her expression softened.

"Leon…what's wrong?"

"Look Yuffie…tonight I was going to…" He stopped suddenly, and shook his head, deciding that he didn't want to share anymore. He moved out of her grasp and started to count the munny in the register. "It's nothing." She stared at him flabbergasted, jaw about to hit the floor.

"Tonight you were going to what? What?!" she kept insisting, desperation written all over her face. Could it have been what she thought it was? For once, was she not alone in feeling for someone and having those feelings returned? She needed to know…but Leon didn't seem to want to talk at all. She sighed, collapsing into one of their chairs. She had missed Vincent so much…but now that he was here…she was stuck. She wanted to just sit there and talk and hold on to him all night, but at the same time, Leon was acting odd and she wanted to make sure that he was alright. It was confusing. It was annoying. She just wanted to punch something. Yuffie let out a frustrated cry, suddenly chunking a nearby bottle against the wall; it shattered.

Leon glanced over his shoulder, slightly shocked. She refused to look at him, crossing her arms, pouting her lips, and staring the opposite way. Two could play at this game; it was her favorite, after all. She always won it.

"He's just a friend of yours…right?" At this she turned to him immediately; her heartbeat increased dramatically. Those words…words she had only imagined in her daydreams that a guy would ask her just spilled from the lips of her crush…and she had no way to respond. It should've been simple. It had been a year, she thought she was over Vincent, and she had fallen for Leon. But it wasn't. As soon as she had seen him, old feelings had resurfaced. And the way he had held her…there was something different about it this time. For once, Vincent had hugged her back.

"Yeah…he's just a friend, Leon," she mumbled, pinching the bridge of her nose to try to avoid the headache coming on. Leon almost looked relieved. He turned around to face her completely, sighing as he spilled down into a chair. He brushed back some of his hair, crossing his arms after he did so.

"Well uh…ok." She said nothing. She was irritated and she knew it would make him uncomfortable if she said nothing. It worked; he was fidgeting. "Look Yuffie…"

"Yes?" she all too eagerly asked, eyes wide as she stared up at Leon. Leon's usually blank expression was replaced with one of anxiety. He got up a little too quickly, and starting putting lanterns back up.

"Uh…just, let's wrap it up. Festival ends in a few minutes."

Yuffie was about to go and kick some ass.

They had all met up in the tavern after the festival. As soon as Cid saw Vincent, he demanded he down ten shots. Vincent agreed…and promptly proceeded to dump each one when Cid turned away. Every time this happened, Yuffie burst into giggles, which eventually earned her a smile from the mysterious man. It was getting on Leon's nerves.

He stared at his drink, miserable, only wanting to go home. He had had the night planned out perfectly to a T, knew everything he was going to say from his opening line. Then this vampire looking freak had to show up…had to distract her. What a way to end the night.

"Here's to having another member of the crew back!" Cid toasted, sloppily raising his mug of beer. He was beyond trashed, as was Cloud. When Cloud got trashed, however…he just sat there and sulked. Come to think of it, it wasn't too different from his usual personality…

Leon was broken out of his thoughts as a nudge came into his side. Slightly caught off guard, he turned to see a grinning Yuffie.

"Wake up, you look like a zombie!" she taunted; the man gave her a small grin back, which was all she usually got from him anyways. Seemed enough to satisfy her, because her grin widened. "You've been quiet all night. Live a little! Get some alcohol in yah!" she winked at him this time, shoving another drink at him. The young ninja apparently couldn't drink due to her motion sickness pills…but he wasn't going to be her replacement for her lack of alcohol. No way. He shook his head, laughing lowly.

"I'm good Yuffie. Just not feeling it tonight." She pouted at him. Fuck that pout. It got him every time. He sighed, placing a hand on his forehead, and took a swig of the beer in front of him. She cheered loudly; he supposed it was worth it to at least see her smile, even as the liquid burned his throat. Satisfied, she gave him a typical fist bump, before once again…turning her attention back to him. It was going to be a long night, Leon thought, sighing.

They laid on the roof of the inn, the stars twinkling above them. It reminded her of their days in Midgar on watch duty. Somehow, she always managed to convince him to go stargazing with her. Even if nothing had come from it, it had been nice; it was peaceful. She felt like she was back in Wutai when all she did was stare at the open sky. The ninja inclined her head to the dark man lying next to her. His eyes were up in the sky, a sense of serene that came about him only when they were out here. Yuffie smiled.

She hadn't been able to sleep when she got back home. Instead, she left and went to the one place she knew she could find Vincent: the rooftops. Chances were he wasn't sleeping either; it was rare when he did. She had too much on her mind. Leon was acting weird as hell, having left right after the bar and heading straight home without so much as a backwards glance. It kinda stung, to be honest, but Yuffie wouldn't show it.

"I'm sorry, Yuffie." Yuffie blinked as Vincent suddenly broke the silence after twenty minutes; his face remained up towards the sky. She stared at him curiously, bewilderment written all over her face.

"For what, Vinny? Being so pale? I told you, we can go work on that tan!" she noted sarcastically, giving the ex-Turk a small punch to his shoulder. To her surprise, Vincent actually let out a small chuckle. The guy never laughed at her jokes…oh god, what the hell was going on? His expression turned grim, however, causing any sarcasm left in her to drain away.

"I didn't go to that festival with you…" She actually laughed, disbelief shining through her face.

"Seriously? It's fine, Vinny, I-"

"It had meant a lot to you, didn't it?" She stopped mid-breath, her eyes growing slightly wide. She turned her face away, shutting her eyes as that familiar blush spread across her cheeks.

"N-No, it was fine, seriously. I mean it got wrecked anyways," she laughed nervously, pulling her legs up to her chest. To her surprise, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked over it, only to see that Vincent had sat up and was staring at her intently. That gaze…it intoxicated her….and intimidated the hell out of her at the same time. She swallowed harshly, frozen, as he said nothing for a moment. For a split second, they were motionless…until Vincent quickly grabbed her arm and pulled her into his chest.

She blinked, bewildered for a moment till it hit her where she was. She warily placed her arms around his waist, not knowing what else to do. It was her dream come true…but at the same time, she wasn't sure she had really prepared herself. Take advantage of it, dummy! She yelled at herself inwardly. She ducked her head into his chest, closing her eyes; he smelled like spice.

"I missed you," she cried out, tears suddenly streaming down her face as sobs wracked her thin frame. She had been terrified she would never see him again. She thought he was dead. She thought that for the rest of her life, she would've never been able to hold him like this again. It was so overwhelming, she had no way to grasp on and just handle it. It was an emotional rollercoaster that drained her…but she had no will to even climb off.

"I've missed you too, Yuffie," he admitted. Her head shot up; she almost nailed him in the chin, but Vincent had fast reflexes. He stared at her tear drenched face, his face impassive. Sniffing, she rubbed under her nose. She was such a baby sometimes; Yuffie was surprised it didn't scare him away. But…he didn't seem to be moving. Vincent gently brushed away a tear from her cheek, a movement that she had only dreamt about before. Could one year really have changed things so much?

Yuffie had no idea what to do at this point. She had had zero experience with men…in a romantic way, but she had the feeling that this encounter was going to lead to something like that. Or maybe she was just stupid, and having the same bullshit daydream thoughts that she had confused with reality with Leon.

Her breath hitched her throat as Vincent suddenly leaned in. OH GOD, she thought dramatically, what should she do? Tongue or no tongue? Quick or slow?! Those thoughts were answered fast, however, when all he did was place a gentle kiss on her forehead that made her weak in the knees. She almost felt relieved…but also a little disappointed…with a lot of confusion thrown in.

"There are a lot things I want to say to you. A lot that I couldn't before…but I'm still having trouble," he admitted, looking slightly defeated as he said it. "But…I'm going to try. I just hope you'll stick around long enough for me to figure out how to say them." She shook her head, giving a broken laugh to the dark haired man. Though he hadn't said it…there was still hope, right? But…it sounded familiar. Leon had wanted to tell her something as well…which then raised her suspicions tenfold. He surely wasn't going to say the thing she thought he was, was he? Secretly, a part of her wished he wouldn't. Vincent was here…he was here with her, and maybe, just maybe, there was a chance for them. Her feelings for Leon needed to leave. Vincent…he…

"Of course, dummy. Why the hell would I go anywhere?"


	4. Chapter 4

**hay I'm here again. SUP.**

It was so awkward.

Cid, Cloud, Aeris, Vincent, Leon, and herself had all gathered together for breakfast…and boy, was it awkward. Leon was staring off into space not speaking. Vincent was staring at Leon not speaking. Cid, Cloud, and Aeris were trying to make idle, awkward chat…while Yuffie was literally holding herself back from slamming her forehead against the wood of the table. Just when she was about ready to get up and walk out of the room, Leon spoke.

"If you don't mind me asking…_Vincent_," the way he said his name with such disdain made Yuffie swallow harshly. There would be no good to come out of this question. Before she could interrupt and prevent the disaster she knew was forthcoming, Leon continued, finally turning his gaze onto the ex-Turk. "What do you expect to accomplish by being here? I mean we've already got a full committee; we don't need any more help…or anymore mouths to feed," he muttered darkly, eyes narrowing. Yuffie quickly intervened.

"Leon! What on earth are you-" Vincent was as calm as ever, and was quick to retort with a smooth reply.

"I am not here to be a burden. I will assist with whatever I can-"

"We don't _need_ your help," Leon roared, slamming his hands down on the table, a sneer plastered on his face that twisted Yuffie's stomach. "In fact, I'm sure Yuffie could have used your help when she arrived. She was scared, alone, depressed…what the hell have you been doing for the past two years while she suffered?!" Yuffie's hands flew to her mouth, her voice lost. She felt sick to her stomach.

Though he was not screaming, Yuffie knew that look in Vincent's eyes. His eyes were steely and cold, his very stare penetrating and fatal. That was his angry expression. Shit was about to go down.

"Searching. Nonstop. That is what I've been doing," was all he said, making Yuffie sigh inwardly with a small bit of relief. This did not sit well with Leon. With another snarl, he flung his dish off the table and stomped out the door, slamming it hard enough to rattle the walls. For a moment, there was silence…at least until Cid pulled together enough words to say something.

"What the fuck just happened?!" Cid exclaimed, slamming his hands down just Leon had done a moment ago. Aeris shook her head, while the others just avoided eye contact with Yuffie. This did not stop Cid however. He turned an accusing look towards her, furrowing his eyebrows. She turned away.

"I don't know Cid, I don't _know,"_ she muttered, slowly removing herself from the table. She cast a glance over her shoulder. "I'm going to calm him down; I'll be back, ok?" Vincent watched her back silently as she left; she felt his ever watching gaze piercing her skin. As she left the room, a sense of guilt washed over her. The hell was she supposed to do anymore?

It didn't take long for her to catch up to Leon. He'd only gotten to the baily, after all. Back turned to her, she wasn't sure if she really should even approach him now. She stopped as he let out a huge sigh, placing a hand against his forehead.

"Sorry Yuffie…" Really? Like she was going to just take that. She wasn't going to be that easy on him. Eyes narrowing, she stomped over to him, jumping right into his face just like she always would; Yuffie was never one to cut corners.

"What's your _deal_, lately, Squall?! You've been the crabbiest asshole, and I really, really want to know why!" She didn't mean to scream, but by the end of her declaration, she was. It's because it hurt. Him acting this way was tearing at her heart, and she didn't like it. Evidently it had hurt him more than she intended. Leon avoided her gaze, a painful look present on his face. Her face softened. "Squall…"

"Ever since you came here, I've kept an eye on you. You were so sad…so depressed. I tried what I could to cheer you up. Seemed like it worked. Then that guy shows up…and does what I did in just under a minute…"

"Look, it's-"

"I know. He's a good friend of yours. I know, Yuffie. But the thing is…" He turned towards her, turning those gorgeous blue eyes to her own, sincerity written all over his face.

"…Yeah?"

"I love you, Yuffie."

"W-Why?!" she suddenly blurted out, tears stinging her eyes. Leon looked taken aback for a second at her reaction; evidently that's not what he had expected her to say. "I'm immature, I'm selfish, I'm stupid, I'm headstrong, I'm ditzy, and hell, I'm not even the best fighter here! A-And not only that but I'm a terrible cook and-and-" She was having a panic attack. Despite the fact that this is what she wanted to hear for the past two years, this was too much. Holding her head in her hands, she tried to still her breathing, but it wouldn't slow. Leon reached out a cautious hand towards her, but she roughly jerked away, eyes wide and full of tears. Without another word, she spun on her heel, taking off and running as quickly as she could away from him.

"Yuffie!"

She dared not look back. It was too dangerous for her.

The bird gently chirped and landed her our outstretched finger, stretching its blue wings lazily. Face tearstained, she sniffled and moved it towards her face.

"Can I be in love with two people at once, Mr. Bird?" The bird merely cocked its head to the side, earning a sigh from Yuffie. "I am talking to a bird for love advice," Yuffie muttered, gently tipping her finger into the air so bird would fly off. It did without another chirp, flying off towards the old castle. She pulled her knees up to her chin, staring out over the cliff's edge. No one would find her here. This was her secret spot. She sighed again. "So I guess I love them both…"

"My, aren't you in a dilemma then?" Yuffie jumped, hand flying to her…shuriken…that was missing. She spun on her heel, gritting her teeth. In front of her stood a hooded man, one that she could only assume was an Organization member. In his gloved hand was her shuriken. Inhaling sharply, she crouched slightly, falling into a fighting stance for hand to hand combat. This made the member laugh out loud, a laugh that almost reminded her of a surfer…

"We already kicked your asses out of Radiant Garden once…I'll be glad to do it again," she muttered angrily, holding her fists in front of her. The hooded figure shrugged before removing his hood, showing off his pearly whites as he grinned at her fiercely. He was worse for wear, with scars wrecked across his face, and an eye patch on one eye.

"Relax doll, I'm just here for a break before the big fight…although…having a tussle with you could be fun!" The wind was knocked out of her as a fist connected with her stomach and she was sent barreling over the edge. Gasping for breath, her eyes widened as she realized just how far up she was. She shut her eyes tightly as she approached the ground, preparing for the worst, when she was grabbed roughly by the arm and thrown to the ground. She cried out as her shoulder popped out of socket and her body made contact with the dirt, tears prickling her eyes.

"Fuck!" she cursed, holding her limp arm. The man ported back in front of her, his grin so large he almost resembled a wolf. Don't give up now Yuffie, you got this, she thought weakly to herself, the pain in her shoulder shooting sparks down her arm; she slowly got to her feet, strength wavering as she tried to hold herself steady. Laughing, the man suddenly tossed her shuriken at her; she barely caught it with her injured arm. She shot him a confused look, earning her another goddamn laugh. Oh she was going to shove it right up his-

She didn't have time to think as he charged her, guns out and slashing towards her face. She held up her weapon, snarling as he pushed and pushed; him and that goddamn laugh were about to be silenced for good. Yuffie let out a cry as the gun nicked her cheek, drawing quite a bit of blood. She stumbled back, holding her weapon in front of her. She was fighting like shit. She wasn't surprised. Any bit of pain made her more of a novice than anything.

"This is why you should become a nobody, you know. No heart, no need to worry about who you're gonna 'fall in love' with again!"

"Do you even remember what it's like to feel it?" She spat back, snarling at the gray haired man. This took him by surprise, but he quickly recovered, smirking. He ran a hand through his greying hair, flashing his pearly whites at her once more.

"I like you. I don't think I'll kill you. Wanna be my playmate?" he asked flirtatiously, winking as he did so. Yuffie did nothing to hide her disgust.

"Like hell!" she yelled, and charged towards him, slashing straight for that cocky little face of his. He laughed, porting out of her way and swiftly slamming his boot into her back. She cried out, skidding across the ground painfully. Dirt filled her mouth. She quickly spat it back out. "Fucking…douche…" she mumbled, holding her shoulder as it burned like fire.

"So…two men, and not one of them are here. Sounds to me like you need another prince, _Argh!_" Yuffie looked up at the sound of his cry and echo of gunfire, and felt relief flood her as Vincent stood in front of her, gun cocked at the pirate man. The nobody was holding his bleeding shoulder…and laughing once again.

"Sorry I'm late," Vincent mumbled over his shoulder. Yuffie gave him a lopsided smile that quickly faded as more pain spread up her arm. A brief look of concern flashed across his face.

"Oh man, I suppose I better let you two kiss and make up!" and with that, the nobody had ported out of sight before either of them could even utter a reply. Vincent quickly lowered his weapon and fell to his knees in front of her. He took her arm in his hand; she screamed and pulled away instantly.

"Don't touch it!" Vincent stared at her steadily, a pained look on his face. She knew what he was going to say, but honestly, she really didn't want to hear it at this time.

"I'm sorry Yuffie…but I gotta pop it back in place…" She almost started to protest again, but seeing the sternness in his eyes, knew it was no use. She bit her lip, squeezing her eyes shut as she held her arm out in surrender.

"Just do it." _Crack_. She let out the most earth shattering scream that she had ever let out in her life. Vincent held her against his chest as she sobbed, the pain so bad she thought she was bleeding for a second. "Just…just cut it off next time," she joked between sobs, clinging onto Vincent with her one good arm. Vincent chuckled quietly at her. Before she could even say another word, she was swept into his arms, her shuriken placed in her lap. "Whoa, Vinny, what are you-"

"Yuffie, can you be quiet for five seconds?" She shut her mouth immediately, cheeks turning rosy. He walked in silence across the dirt, with Yuffie staring awkwardly at her weapon in her lap. The pain in her shoulder was dull now, just a mere throbbing. She still couldn't move her arm without a lot of pain, however. Which sucked ass.

"How did you know where to find me? You haven't even been here that long…"

"The highest cliff you can reach, in the most remote location. Your hiding spots aren't hard to guess."

"Yeah they are!" she found herself arguing….but then slowly stopped as she realized he was very much correct. Dammit. She stared up at Vincent's handsome face, her thoughts swirling. This was what was stopping her from talking to Squall. And Squall was what was stopping her from talking to Vincent. She was just too stupid to realize it till today. The question was…what on earth should she do? Sighing, she laid her head against Vincent's chest. This was going to be a long day.


End file.
